Diplomatic Ties

The Vatican and Czechoslovakia restored diplomatic ties Thursday, formally ending four decades of some of the worst Church-state relations in Eastern Europe. The announcement by the Vatican came two days before Pope John Paul II was due to visit Czechoslovakia, his first trip to a Warsaw Pact country outside his Polish homeland.

DAMASCUS, SYRIA--Syria and Lebanon agreed Wednesday to establish full diplomatic relations for the first time, taking a step toward healing tensions that have fueled decades of turmoil in Lebanon. Many Lebanese had long seen Damascus' refusal of ties as proof it had not given up claims that its smaller neighbor is part of Syrian territory and still aimed to dominate Lebanon. The deal is a significant symbolic victory for them, acknowledging Lebanon as an independent state. But the rivalry remains, and any attempt by either to dominate could spark unrest.

DAMASCUS, SYRIA--Syria and Lebanon agreed Wednesday to establish full diplomatic relations for the first time, taking a step toward healing tensions that have fueled decades of turmoil in Lebanon. Many Lebanese had long seen Damascus' refusal of ties as proof it had not given up claims that its smaller neighbor is part of Syrian territory and still aimed to dominate Lebanon. The deal is a significant symbolic victory for them, acknowledging Lebanon as an independent state. But the rivalry remains, and any attempt by either to dominate could spark unrest.

OTTAWA, Canada -- Chinese President Hu Jintao, intent on improving oil and energy ties with Canada, arrived Thursday for his first state visit to the country. The trip is aimed at celebrating 35 years of diplomatic ties and rapidly expanding trade and energy agreements between China and Canada.

ROME -- The Roman Catholic Church and the Chinese government are exploring the re-establishment of diplomatic ties, with contacts warming to the point that the ailing John Paul II quietly received a quasi-official Chinese delegation in the Vatican late last year. In a half-dozen meetings in Rome and Beijing, both sides have shown an increased willingness to yield on differences that have long divided China and the Vatican, the International Herald Tribune reported. China has indicated that it may allow the Vatican to nominate bishops for the church in China.

BEIJING - Japanese and North Korean officials began talks Tuesday aimed at repairing diplomatic ties, following an agreement by the countries' Red Cross delegates on food aid for the North and other issues. The government negotiations, which Japan halted 15 months ago after North Korea test-fired a rocket over Japan, were restarted after the United States and South Korea persuaded the North to stop testing missiles. Food aid to the North was also suspended after the August 1998 rocket test.

Israel and China established diplomatic ties today, clearing the way for China to join in Mideast peace talks. China, which also recognizes the Palestinian state declared by the Palestine Liberation Organization, has announced plans to send a delegation to Moscow to join in next week's round of talks. It is not clear what stance China, a longtime PLO champion, will take at the talks. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Barukh Binah says his government is not concerned about China's ties with the PLO.

TRIPOLI, Libya -- The sight of the white jet taxiing down the tarmac Sunday left no doubt that one of the world's pariah states was coming in from the cold. The jet bore the words "United States Navy," and from it emerged seven members of U.S. Congress, who heaped words of praise on the recent reforms of Col. Moammar Gadhafi, the Libyan leader whom President Ronald Reagan once called a barbarian. The lawmakers indicated diplomatic ties could soon be restored.

Seeking peaceful solutions to the disputes that pushed the former Yugoslavia into war, the presidents of Serbia and Croatia agreed Wednesday to establish diplomatic relations between their countries. Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia and Franjo Tudjman of Croatia reached the accord at surprise talks near Athens. It was thought to be their first one-to-one meeting since April 1991, a year before the Bosnian war. The agreement was a sign that the leaders who took their countries into war are now looking for ways to rebuild their nations.

The United States will resume full diplomatic relations with Albania on Friday, ending 52 years of non-recognition, American and Albanian officials announced Tuesday.Administration officials said Foreign Minister Muhamet Kapllani was flying to Washington to take part in the formal act of diplomatic recognition with Assistant Secretary of State Raymond G.H. Seitz.Months will pass before a U.S. ambassador to Tirana is named and still more time before an American embassy begins functioning in the Albanian capital, an administration official said.

ROME -- The Roman Catholic Church and the Chinese government are exploring the re-establishment of diplomatic ties, with contacts warming to the point that the ailing John Paul II quietly received a quasi-official Chinese delegation in the Vatican late last year. In a half-dozen meetings in Rome and Beijing, both sides have shown an increased willingness to yield on differences that have long divided China and the Vatican, the International Herald Tribune reported. China has indicated that it may allow the Vatican to nominate bishops for the church in China.

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said Friday that diplomatic and commercial relations with Colombia would be suspended until it apologized for paying bounty hunters to snatch a senior rebel from Venezuela. Chavez said he ordered all commercial trade with neighboring Colombia -- Venezuela's second-largest trade partner -- to be suspended until the diplomatic row is resolved. Chavez said the move included the suspension of plans to construct a natural-gas pipeline from Venezuela to Colombia's Pacific coast, which would allow Venezuelan fuel to be more easily shipped to Asia and the west coast of the United States.

PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Cuba severed diplomatic ties with Panama after President Mireya Moscoso on Thursday pardoned four Cuban emigres accused of trying to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro. Announcing the pardons just days before she was to leave office, President Mireya Moscoso said she wanted to prevent a future government from extraditing the four when they finish their terms.

PARIS -- France became the latest nation to re-establish diplomatic ties with Iraq, hoisting its tricolor flag over the French Embassy in Baghdad on Monday for the first time in 13 years. The French government adamantly opposed the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein but wants to play an active part in Iraq's political and economic reconstruction after decades of oppression and war.

PARIS -- After a 13-year interruption, France and Iraq intend to re-establish diplomatic relations within the next few days, the French Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday. Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi met Monday with Bernard Bajolet, France's highest diplomatic representative in Iraq, and discussed restoration of ties that Saddam Hussein broke off in 1991 during the Gulf War, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

TRIPOLI, Libya -- The sight of the white jet taxiing down the tarmac Sunday left no doubt that one of the world's pariah states was coming in from the cold. The jet bore the words "United States Navy," and from it emerged seven members of U.S. Congress, who heaped words of praise on the recent reforms of Col. Moammar Gadhafi, the Libyan leader whom President Ronald Reagan once called a barbarian. The lawmakers indicated diplomatic ties could soon be restored.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam -- The USS Vandergrift's journey this week up the Saigon River will mark a new era -- the last time an American ship was in Vietnamese waters was during the war. Today's arrival of the U.S. Navy frigate into Saigon Port underscores the huge strides made by Vietnam and Washington in the past three decades. Bilateral ties between the former wartime foes have been steadily expanding since diplomatic relations were established in 1995.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesia and Portugal re-established diplomatic relations Tuesday, 24 years after they were broken off because of the invasion of East Timor, Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab announced. Lisbon severed all ties with Jakarta on Dec. 8, 1975 - one day after Indonesian forces stormed into East Timor, taking advantage of a period of unrest in the former Portuguese colony, which was gaining independence after a leftist coup in Lisbon the previous year.